


I'll Be There

by ufp13



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-07
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2018-02-16 11:12:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2267562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ufp13/pseuds/ufp13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of a bad case, he's there for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Be There

**Author's Note:**

> Not my characters, just playing in the sandbox.
> 
> A big thank you to Sam for hunting down my mistakes. *hugs*

He knew her case was especially gruesome, had known that when he had assigned it to her. However, that was exactly why he had given the case to her. She was the best he had, especially for cases like this one: children involved, a lot of blood, too. Despite his longing to be by her side, he couldn’t partner up with her on this one. Not only was CSI requested at another crime scene that required his expertise, he also knew that he had to stay away from the case in order to stay sane, to catch her once it was over, to be a sounding board, a punching bag or whatever else she needed him to be.

As he saw her walking down the corridor, he mentally started planning dinner, lunch, breakfast, whatever it would turn out to be and tried to remember how much vodka was still left in the bottle he had bought some bad cases ago, the bottle that had slowly become emptier with each such case. He definitely needed to stock up on orange juice.

After judging her level of exhausting – more of the mental than of the physical kind – by her body language, he locked eyes with her. Most people would say she was just focused on the case, concentrating. Not many would see the troubled emotions underneath. However, he had known her too well for too long to miss it. He could read her like an open book, most of the time anyway, but especially when she didn’t try to hide from him.

The corners of her mouth had lifted upon seeing him. It was a tired smile, but an honest one, as if she could read his mind – not that that was necessary, relaxing together, bestowing some TLC upon each other at the end of a bad case had become a ritual, a tradition created out of the desire for companionship, for someone who just understood, who didn’t need explanations, for someone who would just quietly sit with – and approved of his plans, looked forward to it. 

When they passed, he brushed his hand against hers, lingering as long as possible without stopping or drawing any attention from other employees to the action. Nonetheless, the contact was too brief, a poor substitute for what he really wanted to do: take her in his arms and not let her go, kiss her until they were both breathless and couldn’t even remember their own names.

He didn’t see her again before he left. For a few moments, he had considered waiting for her, but in the end, decided to rather get the groceries and start preparing a light meal for her. She would need it. There was no need to leave her a note or text her, she knew he would wait for her.

It took longer for her to show up than he had expected, but the moment she walked into his apartment, he tugged her against his chest into his embrace. Once he felt the tension that had held her body in a tight grip starting to leave her, he moved his hands up her back to cup her face, caressing her cheeks. For a minute, he studied her with a tender gaze before brushing his lips against hers. Tentative at first, the kiss soon became deeper and more lustful while always remaining loving. The goal was to dispel the ghosts of the case, to provide a safe haven from the violence they were surrounded by on a daily basis.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, stroking the back of his head with her fingers while returning the kiss with equal fervour, sucking, nibbling, licking. For a while, they got lost in the kiss, in each other, didn’t care about the world. Until her stomach loudly reminded them that it hadn’t been fed since before the start of her shift that had extended into overtime.

Despite her protest, he slowly pulled out of the kiss, took her hands in his. “Let me feed you first,” he said with a soft smile, indicating that they could pick up later where they just left off.

Reluctantly, clearly annoyed by her body, she nodded. “Thank you.”

“It’s what I’m here for.”

“Maybe I should keep you around.” She smiled at him.

“Maybe you should.” He returned the smile while pulling her towards his kitchen. “Screwdriver?”

Her smile widened as she sat down on his counter, gratefully accepting the offered beverage. “Definitely keeping you around.”

= End =


End file.
